Looking For Leads - What to do Before Writing an Internship Resume

An internship is a temporary position offering college students or recent graduates work experience. Some business will pay their interns. Others won't.

Okay, but why waste time writing a resume for an internship and not getting paid for work?

What’s the difference between a college internship resume and a student resume anyway?

Let me ask you a question.

Imagine you’re looking for your first job. Would you rather:

Have a resume full of relevant work experience?

Have a resume with little to no work experience?

Sure, you can always add that one summer job flipping burgers and your work study library job to your experience section. Still that equates to almost zero relevant work experience.

And that’s especially true if you’re not planning on being a cook or a librarian. That’s why internships aren’t a complete waste of time.

Internships are a way to boost your student resume before you graduate.

Also, internships are great opportunities for you to test a job.

Let's say you have your heart set on working in a particular industry. An internship is a great way to put that desire to the test. How do you know you’re going to like it if you don’t try it first?

Let’s not forget the two most important benefits:

The opportunity to exercise your skill set in the real world.

The opportunity to do some serious networking.

Okay, so let’s say I’ve convinced you. Now, what?

Well, you’ll have to find an internship that’s right for you and send a carefully constructed internship resume sample.

How do you find the right internship? Start by creating a wish list.

Ask yourself:

What kind of work do I want to try?

What kind of work culture would suit me?

What kind of professional and personal interests do I have?

Let’s say you’re a Journalism major and a sport enthusiast. Landing an internship at a big newspaper would be a major accomplishment. But you might get more out of working for a small sports publication.

Once you know what you want, you can start your research.

You’ll need to do research every step of the way.

To know what companies are looking for interns.

To know what to put on your summer internship resume.

To know how to answer questions during your interview.

Start by researching companies that are looking for interns. Make a short list of those that match up with your wish list.

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing an internship.

Here’s a few:

Is it possible to get an internship where you live or will you have to move?

Can you afford to move? How can you offset those costs?

Will moving improve the likelihood of you getting hired down the road?

Feel like there's just too much to keep in mind when writing your intern resume? We've got you covered. Get our free checklist and make sure you always submit a perfect resume that gets you that dream internship: 46 Things You Need To Do Before You Send Your Resume

Pro Tip: Some companies offer dormitory style housing for interns. And if moving is a priority, give yourself extra time to deal with the logistics.

Get in Touch With a Hiring Manager Before Writing Your Internship Resume

Here’s where to look for open internships:

The ideal starting place is your school’s career resource office.

Why? First, many companies post their internship opportunities on career boards at schools.

Second, you can get help with building your internship resume sample. At the very least, you can find someone who will proofread the final copy.

Next, tap into your network.

Your network can play a huge role in helping you find the perfect internship.

Who qualifies as “your network?”

Professors and Advisors

Colleagues and Peers

Alumni Students

High School Contacts

Relatives

Relatives of Peers

Community Professionals

If you know someone who works in your industry or who may have connections, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. Yes, it’s intimidating but also well worth it.

Here’s an example email script that you can follow:

Hello [Insert Name of Contact - Use Appropriate Titles],

This is [Insert Your Name]. We met at / You know me from / I am a close friend of [Insert person, place, or thing]. I hope things are going well for you.

I am contacting you because I am finishing up my studies in [Insert Your Major]. I understand that you have connections within my industry as well. Would it be possible for us to meet in person or chat by phone?

I’m looking for internship opportunities right now, and I would love to get your advice and insights. Here’s my phone number [Insert Phone Number]. Is it okay if I add you as a contact on LinkedIn?

Thanks for your time,

[Insert Your Name]

The message is short and to the point. It allows you to express your needs without being demanding. Plus, you're also complimenting the recipient by asking for meaningful advice and insight.

The letter also gives the recipient several options for helping you.

They may have nothing more to offer than advice on how to create your internship resume.

On the other hand, they may offer you an internship that’s a perfect fit for you.

Cold call your dream companies.

Let’s say specific companies top your wish list. You want to work in fashion.

Maybe not The Devil Wears Prada. But you’ve got a shortlist of publications, ateliers, agencies, and retailers you wouldn’t mind trying on for size.

You research them. There are no internship programs. Now, what?

Time to find a person you can use as a point of contact. In the meantime, connect with the company via social media. Explore their websites and look at other job offers.

Once you’ve gained some valuable insight, you can try cold calling the company. That means picking up the phone and talking to your point of contact.

Otherwise, you can send a personalized email expressing your intentions and interest.

Do keep in mind that you'll want to establish contact before sending a sample resume for an internship.

Ask your contact person if you may send your sample internship resume despite the lack of open positions. And then wait until they give you a green light to send your documents.

Why?

The company may keep your summer internship resume on file and call you when an opportunity does arise.

You’ll gain valuable insight into the way the company recruits.

You’ll have an opportunity to figure out how to make a resume for an internship.

Our resume builder (you can create your resume here) will give you tips and examples on how to write your internship resume for college students - the same advice a hiring manager would give you. You can easily copy them straight into your resume - it will save you a ton of time.

Inside the Zety resume builder, you will find tips and examples for your resume for college interns.

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Online Resources For Finding Internships And Connections

If you are still struggling, here are a few resources to add to your arsenal:

LinkedIn

Use LinkedIn to search for internships and to build a strong professional profile.

To optimize your profile, include recommendations from professors. Show off your volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and achievements.

The platform is a great place to get started on a master, first time internship resume that you’ll tailor for individual positions later.

To search for internships, click on the jobs tab and type “internships” in the search bar. You can filter down to those that relate to your degree program.

One point to remember:

Companies pay to post. That might limit what you can find to offers from large business and organizations.

Internships.com

A lot of smaller companies look for interns on internship.com because it is free. The site lists over 100,000 internships from around the world. Some are paid, others not.

Glassdoor

As one of the largest American job boards, you can find offers from most companies on Glassdoor. You can also find reviews of what it’s like to work for different companies.

Search by career field and geographic location. Glassdoor draws its offers from companies, job boards, and partner organizations.

Alumni Networks

Check out the alumni network at your college. Alumni who are in positions to hire interns will often start by leaving offers at their alma mater’s career office. Alumni usually want interns from their colleges, so make this one of your first stops.

Google

Check out Google. Yes, it sounds too easy. But you can find all sorts of things when you search for paid and unpaid internships in your field.

You will find opportunities that supply all details, requirements, and deadline dates. And you can even search by geographical area.

Internmatch.com

There are over 30 companies advertising for internships on internmatch.com. One benefit is that you can receive notifications for relevant positions after registering.

Idealist

If you want to work in the nonprofit sector, this is the place to search.

The list also includes international positions. There are both paid and unpaid listings, and the variety is far-reaching.

If you do decide to apply for a position abroad, keep in mind that they may ask for a CV instead of a college resume for an internship.

What's the difference between an international CV and a college student internship resume?

There's not much of a difference, but you'll want to check out CV requirements for different countries. You'll also want to make sure you follow whatever instructions your given.

Pro Tip: Another online resource is intern resume templates. If it's your first resume, a template can help you put the right things in the right places.

Consider adding how to make an internship resume using a template to your list of things to research. Otherwise, be sure to choose a traditional resume fromat.

Here’s How to Write a Summer Internship Resume

So, it’s time to write your internship resume. Your college student internship resume is going to look a lot like a regular student resume.

So, what’s the difference?

You’re applying for an internship. Hiring managers aren’t going to expect you to have work experience.

That’s why your undergraduate student internship resume may look a little different than the student resume you make after graduation. The end goal is to make sure that your student resume looks different by packing it with internship experience.

Still, a resume for an internship should meet the standards of any other resume. Because you have little to no work experience, your resume should be one page.

You should use a standard resume format for an internship resume, such as the reverse-chronological resume format.

Contact Information

As you might expect, you’ll want to start with your contact information. Include your name, phone number, and email address.

You don’t need to include an address, especially if you’re applying for a position out of state.

If you have a personal website or blog that is relevant, it’s a good idea to add a link. You can also pique the hiring manager’s interests by including your social media handles.

Resume Objective

You’ll want to include a resume objective statement after your contact information. A resume objective tells a hiring manager where you are now and where you want to go.

At the same time, it focuses on the needs of the employer. Not your needs and goals.

Here’s a sample resume objective for an intern resume:

right

Detail-oriented English Major seeking to leverage excellent written and verbal communication skills to succeed as an Intern at XYZ company. Excel at working on teams with +3 years of experience as Captain of the Lacrosse team at Xavier University.

wrong

Dedicated Biology major seeking an Internship to improve my research and lab skills.

Additional Sections

Is your skills-based internship resume looking a bit empty?

You should definitely consider adding a section for hobbies and interests. Again, your focus should be on demonstrating your skills and experience. Choose hobbies that require skills relevant to the internship.

If you’ve noticed that the company has a particular work culture, you can also choose hobbies that reflect that type of work culture.

For example, if it’s a fast-paced work environment that requires a lot of teamwork, choose sports as your hobby.

Finally, add a section for research projects, extracurriculars, or publications.

Finishing Touches - What to do Before Sending Your Internship Resume

Before you send your college student internship resume for the first time, you’ll want to take a few things into consideration.

First, check if you've received detailed instructions on how to submit your student resume for an internship.

Instructions might include:

Acceptable File Formats

Email Subject Line

Name of the Contact Person

Where to Upload Your Resume

Other Items to Include

These are not friendly suggestions.

Often, failure to follow these instructions could result in instant rejection.

Remember, many companies have systems in place to screen emails and resumes. Use the wrong subject line or file type, and your summer internship resume could get black-holed.

Imagine missing out on a great internship because you couldn't follow instructions.

What do you do if you’re interested in a company, but haven’t been able to find internship opportunities?

You might have to send your resume for an internship “cold.” But, you’ll still want to personalize it as much as you can. If you can get the name of the hiring manager that works best.

At the very least you should try to get the name of the HR contact person.

This isn’t the ideal way to make contact, but if it’s your only choice it’s worth a try.

Here are three other things you need to do:

Write a cover letter.

Proofread your college intern resume.

Tailor your resume to every internship offer.

You will definitely want to research the company as much as possible. Research is the only thing that will help you to tailor your resume to the company’s needs.

A good resume and cover letter aren’t focused on your needs. They’re tailored to the needs of the business. Here are few things to remember.

Personalize Your College Internship Resume And Cover Letter

You should address both documents to an individual whenever possible. Never send the same summer internship resume and cover letter to the businesses on your list.

Use Relevant Keywords

Use keywords from the internship description in your resume.

The person reading your resume will scan for keywords. To find the right keywords, take a look at the duties, job requirements, and qualifications. You are looking for specific skills, years of experience, etc...

When you write your resume, you’ll want to make sure you include these keywords where you can.

Make Sure Mandatory Keywords Are Near The Top of Your Resume

Some of the keywords that you use will refer to skills and experience that are mandatory.

In other words, if you don’t have that skill or the required experience, you aren’t qualified to do the job.

For example, the job offer might say that leadership skills are a must. Make sure these keyword skills come first.

How to Clean Up Your Online Presence

Let's say you don’t include information about your social media accounts in your contact information section.

You should still expect potential employers to look into your online activity first thing after reading your summer internship resume.

Remember that even if your posts are set to private, nothing you post ever goes away. It’s better to use good judgment, to begin with. That’s why you should start using social media as a professional tool now.

Start a blog relating to your field or your interests. Connect with businesses and leaders in your niche. Start a professional website to use as your online portfolio.

Many college students go with WordPress because it has free and inexpensive. Instagram is a great option if you want to display pictures of your work.

And most important of all, make sure you’re on LinkedIn.

Pro Tip: The most important aspect of creating an online professional persona is to be consistant. You want to reflect what you've outlined in your resume for an internship.

Here’s How to Stay in Touch with Contacts After an Internship

After you send your summer internship resume, ace the interview, and dazzle your employer, it’s time to say goodbye.

But you’re not done yet.

The last thing you need to do is ask for a letter of recommendation.

As far as timing goes, ask for a letter of recommendation about two weeks before your internship is due to end.

That gives your supervisor time to consider your performance. They will also have time to write something thoughtful.

Do keep in mind that asking for a recommendation is a delicate matter.

Ask your supervisor to meet with you.

A meeting allows you to discuss your experiences and show your gratitude. You can also review your accomplishments and efforts.

Remember that it’s okay to approach more than one person for a letter of recommendation.

When you land an internship, you never know who you might connect with. You can also ask for a letter of recommendation if someone took an interest in your career, offered you advice, or acted as a mentor.

You’ll also want to send thank you emails. Send individual emails to each of your team members and supervisors. Mention specific experiences that you shared, and what you learned.

Key Takeaway

Yes, landing and surviving an internship may seem exhausting. Luckily, with a proper internship resume, it's going to be easier than you think. Just remember to follow the key strategies:

Customize every resume you send out to match the internship description.

At the top, put a resume objective—in it, don't write what you want out of the internship. Focus on what you have to offer!

Spice up your resume with your academic and extracurricular achievements.

The important thing to remember is that internships are rewarding experiences. The connections you’ll make and the experience you gain will be priceless. Make sure you follow all the steps from this guide for grads and good luck finding your internship.

What do you think? Did an internship lead to the job of your dreams? What about internship horror stories? Do you have an interesting tale of caution?

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Author

Janet Anthony

Janet Anthony is a blogger from Kansas City who has been writing professionally for five years now. She mostly writes about blogging, career tips, and entrepreneurship. Her motto is “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.”